Agenda

Council - Thursday, 8th October, 2026 7.30 pm

Venue: Council Chamber - District Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth, SG6 3JF. View directions

Contact: Email: Committee.Services@north-herts.gov.uk 01462 474655

Media

Items
No.	Item
1.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Members are required to notify any substitutions by midday on the day of the meeting. Late substitutions will not be accepted and Members attending as a substitute without having given the due notice will not be able to take part in the meeting.
2.	MINUTES - 16 JULY 2026 PDF 347 KB To take as read and approve as a true record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 16 July 2026.
3.	NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS PDF 135 KB Members should notify the Chair of other business which they wish to be discussed at the end of either Part I or Part II business set out in the agenda. They must state the circumstances which they consider justify the business being considered as a matter of urgency. The Chair will decide whether any item(s) raised will be considered.
4.	CHAIR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS Climate Emergency The Council has declared a climate emergency and is committed to achieving a target of zero carbon emissions by 2030 and helping local people and businesses to reduce their own carbon emissions. A Cabinet Panel on the Environment has been established to engage with local people on matters relating to the climate emergency and advise the council on how to achieve these climate change objectives. A Climate Change Implementation group of councillors and council officers meets regularly to produce plans and monitor progress. Actions taken or currently underway include switching to green energy, incentives for low emission taxis, expanding tree planting and working to cut food waste. In addition the council is a member of the Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership, working with other councils across Hertfordshire to reduce the county’s carbon emissions and climate impact. The Council’s dedicated webpage on Climate Change includes details of the council’s climate change strategy, the work of the Cabinet Panel on the Environment and a monthly briefing on progress. Ecological Emergency The Council has declared an ecological emergency and is committed to addressing the ecological emergency and nature recovery by identifying appropriate areas for habitat restoration and biodiversity net gain whilst ensuring that development limits impact on existing habitats in its process. The Council has set out to do that by a) setting measurable targets and standards for biodiversity increase, in both species and quantities, seeking to increase community engagement, b) to work with our partners to establish a Local Nature Partnership for Hertfordshire and to develop Nature Recovery Networks and Nature Recovery Strategy for Hertfordshire and c) to investigate new approaches to nature recovery such as habitat banking that deliver biodiversity objectives and provide new investment opportunities. Declarations of Interest Members are reminded that any declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest or Declarable Interest and are required to notify the Chair of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest must withdraw from the meeting for the duration of the item. Members declaring a Declarable Interest, wishing to exercise a ‘Councillor Speaking Right’, must declare this at the same time as the interest, move to the public area before speaking to the item and then must leave the room before the debate and vote.
5.	PUBLIC PARTICIPATION To receive petitions, comments and questions from the public.
6.	ITEMS REFERRED FROM OTHER COMMITTEES PDF 98 KB To consider any items referred from other Committees. Any items referred to this meeting will be published as a supplementary document.
7.	CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW PDF 148 KB REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – GOVERNANCE This report proposes changes to section 2, Purpose, Definition Interpretation and Amendment of the Constitution to expand the definition of a 'key decision' to include a monetary threshold to assist in defining a 'significant decision'. Additional documents: Appedix 1 Section 2 - Purpose Definition Interpretation and Amendment of the Constitution , item 7. PDF 172 KB Appendix 2- Revised Section 16 - Budget Policy Framework Procedure Rules , item 7. PDF 80 KB
8.	NATIONAL SCHEME OF DELEGATION PDF 170 KB View the background to item 8. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – PLACE This report introduces the statutory National Scheme of Delegation for planning applications that comes into effect on 31 October 2026. It seeks approval for necessary amendments to the Council Constitution to operate the National Scheme of Delegation. It also introduces (i) operational guidance that will be maintained and update as required by officers and (ii) discretionary guidance on the use of member briefings and site visits for applications of significance. Additional documents: Appendix 1 National Scheme of Delegation , item 8. PDF 87 KB Appendix 2 National Scheme of Delegation , item 8. PDF 346 KB Appendix 3 National Scheme of Delegation , item 8. PDF 235 KB National Scheme of Delegation - Conservatives Amendments , item 8. PDF 58 KB
9.	CHANGES TO THE CONTRACT PROCUREMENT RULES PDF 213 KB View the background to item 9. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES This report proposes two changes to the Council's Contract Procurement Rules. The first is to increase the threshold for procurements that only require a single quote, to reflect inflation. The second change is to allow a restriction on the location and type of supplier that can bid for contracts.
10.	USE OF URGENCY IN RELATION TO CALL-IN FOR DECISIONS ON AWARDING UK SHARED PROSPERITY FUND (UKSPF) ALLOCATIONS PDF 110 KB View the background to item 10. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – RESOURCES To notify Council that the urgency provisions were applied to four delegated decisions made by the Director: Enterprise (in consultation with the Executive Member for Enterprise) in relation to allocations of UKSPF funding. This was due to the need to award funding to projects that could spend the available funds by the end of September 2026. This deadline is a condition of the grant, and it is likely that the funding would have had to be returned to Government if it had not been complied with. Allowing for potential call-in would have made it extremely difficult to meet the deadline. In accordance with the Constitution, the Chair of the Council agreed to the decision being treated as a matter of urgency. The Constitution as set out in paragraph 6.3.11 (b) (i)requires that use of this provision is reported to the next meeting of Council, together with the reasons for urgency. Additional documents: Appendix A Decision Notice UKSPF Hitchin BID , item 10. PDF 205 KB Appendix B Decision Notice UKSPF Baldock Community Centre , item 10. PDF 213 KB Appendix C Decision Notice UKSPF Letchworth BID , item 10. PDF 159 KB Appendix D Decision Notice UKSPF Royston BID , item 10. PDF 159 KB
11.	APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIR - FINANCE, AUDIT AND RISK COMMITTEE PDF 111 KB View the background to item 11. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – GOVERNANCE To confirm the appointments of a new/replacement Member and Substitute Member to the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee and to appoint a Vice-Chair of Finance, Audit and Risk Committee for the remainder of the civic year 2026-27.
12.	NOMINATION OF REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS PDF 151 KB View the background to item 12. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR – GOVERNANCE To consider appointing a Member Representative to the Baldock Community Centre Association 2025 and to note that the Letchworth Garden City Town Twinning Association and the Bedford and River Ivel Internal Drainage Board were no longer active bodies.
13.	EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC To consider passing the following resolution: That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that the following report will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 3 and 4 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the said Act (as amended).
14.	PART 2 MINUTES - 16 JULY 2026 View the reasons why item 14. is restricted To take as read and approve as a true record the Part 2 minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 16 July 2026.
15.	QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS PDF 55 KB To consider any questions submitted by Members of the Council, in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.11 (b).
16.	NOTICE OF MOTIONS PDF 94 KB To consider any motions, due notice of which have been given in accordance with Standing Order 4.8.12. Additional documents: 5. Notice of Motion - Local Government Reorganisation , item 16. PDF 106 KB 2. LGR Motion - Conservatives Amendments , item 16. PDF 109 KB 1. Paterntiy Leave Motion - Labour Amendments , item 16. PDF 96 KB